The Town Kirk

Parish Minister and Master Builder. This collection of nineteen sermons written by Dr Patrick Macdonald Playfair, a greatly loved and admired man, is selected and introduced by his grandson Hugh Playfair. Elegantly constructed and written, they were primarily intended for the congregation of 'The Town Kirk' of St Andrews although they were preached on a number of occasions, even in Rutger's Presbyterian Church in New York.

Dr Partick Playfair was outstanding among the ministers of his generation and made his name as minister of the First Charge at Holy Trinity, St Andrews 1899 - 1924. His sermons are both uplifting and thought provoking raising issues which are still pertinent to our lives in the 21st century.

To his parochial responsibilities was added the overseeing of the restoration of the church, a major work which was completed with 1909, in time to celebrate, in 1912, the 500th anniversary of the Holy Trinity church on it present site. Patrick Playfair was twice asked to be Moderator of the General Assembly but sadly was unable to take on the responsibility due to ill health.

He was a remarkable man as the General Assembly recorded in 1925: ...no minister of his time was held in higher honour for his fine personal qualities and for his work's sake than was Patrick Macdonald Playfair